Washboard



(No Model.)

1?. A. BALOH.

WASHBOARD.

No. 529,353. Patented Nov. 20, 1894.

%fnes'ses Unrrnn STATES PATENT @rrrcn.

FREDERICK A. BALCH, OF NEILLSVILLE, IVISCONSIN.

WASHBOARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 529,353, dated November 20, 1894.

Application filed December 9, 1892. Renewed May 1, 1894. Serial No. 509.718. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK A. BALCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Neillsville, in the county of Clark and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in IVashboards; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

It is the object of my invention to provide a washboard in the use of which the person will be protected by a light and simple contrivance from becoming wet by the splashing of water from the tub over the upper end of the washboard upon the clothing of the washer.

It is a further object of my invention to protect a washboard having a glass or other friable rubbing plate from the constant danger of having such plate broken by the falling of the washboard from the hand of the person using it or from its position against the side of the wall where it may be set up when not in use.

With such objects in view my invention comprises a washboard provided with a glass or other rubbing plate, and having at or near its upper end a frame, and a protector composed of some suitable flexible material, such as cloth, held extended by said frame so as to prevent the splashing of water over the upper end of the wash board.

In order to make my invention more clearly understood I have shown in the accompanying drawings means for carrying the same into practical effect, without limiting the improvement in its useful applications to the particular construction, which, for the sake of illustration, I have delineated.

In said drawingsFigure 1 is a perspective View of a washboard comprising my improvement. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same on line IIII of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the same on line III--III of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective View of one of the spring frames detached.

Referring to the drawings1 indicates the side pieces of the washboard frame terminatmg in the legs in the usual manner, and connected by transverse bars 2, 3 and 4, and by the board or plate 5, the latter serving as a soap receptacle. The frame pieces 1 are provided on their inner faces with longitudinal grooves 6 in which fit the outer edges of the rubbing plate 7, and in this also is fitted be tween the edges of the plate and the side frame pieces a material such as felt which is not adapted to swell under the action of water. The valuable purpose served by such material is that the warping and swelling of the wooden frame under the influence of the alternate soaking and drying which it necessarily experiences, are prevented from so acting upon the friable plate as to break or crack it. This latter would be the case if said plate were in direct contact with the frame portion of the washboard. The frame is therefore free to swell or shrink under the action of the water and change its dimensions without any effect upon the rubbing plate, the force exerted by the frame under such conditions being expended upon the yielding felt packing. The transverse bars 3 and 4 are similarly provided with grooves in which fit the upper and lower edges of the rubbing plate.

9 indicates a spring frame secured to the washboard frame in any suitable manner at or near its upper end and extending out therefrom. This frameis preferably of spring wire of substantially U-shape, the extremities of the wire, shown at 10, being bent outward and entering suitable sockets formed therefor in the frame pieces 1. The legs of the U extend upward for a short distance in contact with the plate 5, as best seen in Fig. 2, and then bend outward in the form of curved arms 11, which arms are connected with each other by a portion 12 which extends in a direction substantially parallel with the top bar of the board frame. By preference each side of the washboard is provided with such a protecting spring frame as indicated in the drawings.

13 is a protector of cloth or other suitable material which passes across the bar 2 in a direction from one side of the board to the other and is at its outer edges attached by sewing or other means to the bars 12 of the spring frames. This protector need not be attached to the bar 2 unless .but one spring frame is employed, but its ends are carried over the extremities of the bar 2 and secured by tacks or staples to the pieces 1.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that if the washboard fall and strike upon either of the bars 12 the elastic arms 11 will yield, as will also the flexible protector 13 and entirely cushion and relieve the force of the fall of the board. This will protect the friable rubbing plate from injury and make the article a practically indestructible piece of laundry furniture. At the same time during the use of the washboard the protector 13, held out in the manner indicated across the top of the Washboard, will entirely protect the person from becoming wet by the splashing from the tub.

The Woolen or felt packing hereinbefore referred to will maintain its elasticity in water longer than almost any other substance, and form a very yielding support or cushion for the friable plate, of a much more elastic and protecting character than strips of rubher or other appliances heretofore used or proposed forthis purpose.

What I claim is 1. The combination with the wash board having the rubbing plate, of spring frames attached to the board near its upper end and standing out therefrom, and the flexible protector held distended across the upper end of the board by said frames, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with the wash board, of the springs 11 having lateral projections 10 seated in the washboard frame, the transverse rods 12, connecting the outer ends of said springs, and the flexible protector at tached to and held distended by said rods, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I afifix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK A. BALCl-I.

Witnesses:

HERMAN SCHUSTER, J. F. SoHUsrER. 

